Bridesmaids Part 1

Such a funny movie! - Image via dailystab.com

This is labeled "Part 1" because I actually wrote this post several weeks ago, but never got around to finishing, editing, and then posting. I since then have made several decisions, and actually started asking, but in an effort at full decision-making disclosure here is the first half. :)

In the course of this I've been thinking about who I want standing as my "support staff" ** on the big day. How many people do I want standing next to me? Do we need to have equal amounts? (His "staff" versus my "staff"?)

Two spots are easy for me. Possibly three. (Depending on when this shindig actually goes down.) But then it gets hazy.

My little sister, N, informed me the other day (read as weeks ago, lol) on the phone that she will be my MOH. She cites some long-ago (and forgotten) promise made as small children. I know it had to be loooong ago, because in more recent times (read as the last 55% of my life, literally) I've always planned on my best friend J being my MOH. But not too long, because as extremely small children we fought worse than cats and dogs, to the point of asking my parents if we could take her back and get a new one, as she was obviously broken. She also informed me of a few other... ideas she had. I told her the plan as I saw it thus far (mostly) and she calmed a bit.

Everything aside, N and J are definite placements. J, without whom, many sad sad days would have been even sadder, and who has listened to me and my ranting far more often than anyone, and then my oldest younger sister, N. She's my personal bodyguard (we are VERY protective of each other, mama bear syndrome in full force), and really, my other best friend. I then have another younger sister, who's just at the max age for a flower girl, but who would totally ham it up, or she could be a junior bridesmaid. (Not sure I love that moniker... :/)

But then comes what I have always considered the last available position (more on this in the next post...), as more than three bridesmaids is a lot (although it sounds as though M might have more groomsmen than that). M has a sister, Ja, and he was in her wedding, and so he feels that she should be part of ours, and I have two friends who are very dear to me for different reasons, A and Mi. I lean more towards one friend and the more I think about it, the more I want her there, because not only will she will tell me to sit my bridezilla butt down and take a chill pill, but she will just generally be a hoot and a loving presence that I don't think I want to go without, but I need to consider all of them because they are all important in different ways. (Otherwise I wouldn't be considering them, right? lol) 

What do you think? Is there a cap on an acceptable number of bridesmaids? Do I need to have as many as M has groomsmen? Did you have this many problems deciding?

** I say this not because I think of them as "the help" but more because it is a HUGE job to be there for the bride (maybe not so much for the groom) and to love her even when she goes a little crazy... to be the support that she needs and wants from nobody else. It's meant with love and affection, not to be derogatory in any way.